Improv University
It’s a bit of kismet that the verbalization of a word like “improv” can draw such direct comparisons to the “try, try again” nature of this particular performing artform. But when improv-ing, the name of the game is, in fact, constantly improving. And that’s not lost on one of the youngest improvisational comedy troupes Sioux Falls has to offer.
Since its inception, the University of Sioux Falls (USF) improv group has been spearheaded and managed by student actors, one of the primary reasons its able to maintain its grassroots, authentic style of learning this tricky balancing act of a performance style.
“It’s been an entirely student-led, student-run organization,” USF Director of Theatre Joe Obermueller said. “It’s been really fun to see how much it has grown since those early days.”
The troupe, which traditionally performs two-show nights once a month, has been most recently headed up by senior Tori Frahm.
“It definitely changed since I first got here,” she said. “I started attending freshman year, and we were just a few people hanging out in the Jones (Studio Theatre). From there, we started to grow to try to do a show once a month, one every holiday—when I took over, we adopted sort of a ‘grunge’ vibe. It’s just a blast.”
And though the group has adapted its schedule a bit to account for COVID-19 precautions, including adding an hour gap between two-show nights, they’ve never missed a beat in continuing to learn from each other and deliver fresh comedy every performance.
“It speaks to their ingenuity—constantly evolving,” Obermueller said.
“Our audiences have gotten a little smaller, but it’s so cool to see the participation, since that’s what improv relies upon—involving the audience and letting them in on the jokes,” Frahm said. “Just watching the campus get familiar and comfortable with our style so they can be involved.”
When you’re engaging in improv comedy at the introductory level, a big part of the game has to be educating “newbies” on the most important tenets of acting out this brand of performance. And that’s something Frahm has taken to heart in building a well-connected team of actors.
“I think we try really hard to tie in the educational aspect with the fun,” she said. “The first couple weeks are just teaching people how to do it. People get to test themselves, but they also get to have fun. We also try to make it professional and facilitated well, so things go super smoothly.”
“You don’t throw in new ensemble members to the wolves,” Obermueller added. “For a theatre performer, I think it’s so valuable in learning to trust instincts, developing characters quickly and making choices quickly. You have to learn how to make bold, big choices right away in support of the story. It’s constantly a decision-driven activity. It’s not self-serving. When company members serve one another and say ‘yes,’ it’s funnier.”
And the shows themselves are aimed to keep you guessing and provide something new and fresh at each performance, from themed nights tying in James Bond or Home Alone, to short-form games, akin to an episode of Whose Line is it Anyway?
“One of the things I love about it is it draws students who aren’t in the theatre program,” Obermueller said. “There are students who are doing this performance activity who I’ve never seen before. And their audiences are always really good—it’s just because the reputation has grown, so people come and look forward to coming.”
Though that audience has necessitated a shrink to accommodate COVID precautions, the USF improv troupe has amassed an audience as large as 150, a level that Frahm hopes the incoming leadership of the team can get back to in a post-pandemic world.
“I would love to see (Zbornik Hall) absolutely full,” Frahm said. “I would love to see that level of professionalism—maybe incorporating an accompanist for music-based games. To go beyond whatever I could imagine doing. That’s what I want for them—to do better than I ever could. I’m excited to see what they do with it!”